After weeks of virtual practicing, members of two Langley cheer studios have resumed in-person training, under rules that don’t permit human pyramids and other full-contact moves, but do allow them to work out while separated by tape marks on the floors.
At Langley Cheer and Athletics and Xtreme Cheer and Dance, workouts are taking place within taped-off zones that ensure the minimum six-foot social distancing guideline is followed.
Xtreme Cheer and Dance co-owner Lisa Bosch said the only time anyone leaves the taped-off box is if the entire class takes a few steps together, in the same direction.
“Everyone [then] returns to original positioning,” Bosch told the Langley Advance Times.
As well, Xtreme has separate entrances for all studios, athletes no longer keep shoes and extra attire at the studio in personal boxes, they now carry their bags into the studio with everything they will need for the day.
Among the COVID-19 measures, each studio has a designated bathroom that is cleaned regularly.
Classes have been shortened to allow for the studios to be disinfected/cleaned between classes.
“It took us a two weeks to clean our 8,000 sq. ft. facility and set up our return to play plan,” Bosch elaborated.
She described the restart costs as “considerable.’
Currently the studio has about 60 to 70 per cent in-person attendance, with the rest of the kids attending virtually.
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At Langley Cheer and Athletics Gym, co-owner Leanna Fisher has implemented similar safety protocols, and the kids are excited to be back in the classroom.
“We are doing social distancing with small class sizes, so athletes can maintain six feet apart.”
“We can’t do any contact,” Fisher explained.
“Our coaches have had to be creative.”
Fisher is hoping by September, the studio can start doing regular classes, but that will depend on word from the Fraser Heath Authority.
“Business is good despite the smaller class sizes,” Fisher elaborated.
We are able to run them while being social distant and we have all our Covid-19 Safety procedures on our website.
We are not doing virtual classes as of June 30 unless we feel a need for them moving forward.
Langley Cheer and Athletics recently had some good news, winning an industry award for best program of the year for the 2019-2020 season.
“It’s quite the honour and we were surprised,” Fisher said.
It comes from the British Columbia Cheerleading Association, which is made up of gym owners in all of B.C.
“Each year, we nominate different programs for outstanding performance in different categories and we won the Industry Award for the Program of the Year meaning that the gym owners in BC voted for us as the best,” Fisher explained
dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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